Instead of that, they were the lookouts of Boscawen's fleet, which, numbering fourteen ships-of-the-line, was in full pursuit.

The French formed their order on one of the close-hauled lines, and fled; but of course their fleet-speed was less than that of the fastest English ships.

The general rule for all chases where the pursuer is decidedly superior, namely, that order must be observed only so far as to keep the leading ships within reasonable supporting distance of the slower ones, so that they may not be singly overpowered before the latter can come up, was by this time well understood in the English navy, and that is certainly the fitting time for a _melee_.

Boscawen acted accordingly.
The rear ship of the French, on the other hand, nobly emulated the example of L'Etenduere when he saved his convoy.

Overtaken at two o'clock by the leading English ship, and soon after surrounded by four others, her captain made for five hours a desperate resistance, from which he could hope, not to save himself, but to delay the enemies long enough for the better sailers to escape.